Maraschino is HERE!

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BruceSB

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #40 on: 27 Feb 2013, 09:52 am »
I am attracted to the (cherry) red box.
Nice cherry logo would also be nice (maybe in contrasting white).
While I initially liked the smaller longer boxes (& still do), I wonder whether there is more scope in making the cube look really swish?
I like the idea of switching off like the bigger cherries.
Keep telling us more!
Thanks.
Bruce

Guy 13

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #41 on: 27 Feb 2013, 10:54 am »

Hi Tommy and all Audio Circle members.
What's better?
Long interconnects and short speaker wires
(What you are now proposing/offering)
or
long speaker wires and short interconnects.
I think long interconnect are more subject to pick up interference ? ? ?

Guy 13

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #42 on: 27 Feb 2013, 03:47 pm »
Hi Tommy and all Audio Circle members.
What's better?
Long interconnects and short speaker wires
(What you are now proposing/offering)
or
long speaker wires and short interconnects.
I think long interconnect are more subject to pick up interference ? ? ?

Guy 13
Well, common mode noise pickup is cancelled out by the amp's input stage. 

I'm currently running single ended (yes, I'm waiting to hear some kickback for that) about 6 feet in either direction.  I have XLR adapters (the smaller "grounded" kind work perfectly with this amp) at the amp as opposed to running balanced cables with short single-ended ones.  The preamp output noise (AR9) is much greater than anything the cable seems to contribute.  I've also tried balanced interconnect, and was very pleased with the result.

Bottom line here is that I'm a fan of longer interconnect option because it doesn't need to carry significant current.  It just makes more sense that way.  Plus sewer-pipe-sized speaker wire is difficult to handle and expensive.

Still, we want the Maraschino Cherry to be used in both traditional long speaker wire settings as well as short (or none) speaker wire settings.  For this, we will probably add an optional case that sits nicely on a shelf with all the connectors in the back.  Thanks.

rollo

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #43 on: 27 Feb 2013, 04:12 pm »
 Cool. Cannot wit to hear them with the GT audio works panel speakers. Should be a wonderfull combo.


charles

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #44 on: 28 Feb 2013, 02:07 am »
Cool. Cannot wit to hear them with the GT audio works panel speakers. Should be a wonderfull combo.


charles

The ones with the powered subs?

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #45 on: 1 Mar 2013, 07:43 pm »
Tommy, your replies clear up some questions nicely.

Regarding the case, if your intention is to deliver this as an item to put in/near/on a speaker, I would think that the best decision is going to be the case that performs best in the worst case scenario, as anything else then would work fine by default.  In my mind, this makes the case decision the one that makes attaching the amp to the largest number of possible speakers the best?

Considering the height of the case isn't much more than the depth of a pair of binding posts with banana plugs attached, the cube case looks smaller in footprint to the flat case, so it would then follow that it would fit behind a larger (in this case, physically smaller) number of speakers unobtrusively.   An idea that just came to mind - why bother with the binding posts on the amp at all?  why not just terminate with a pair of pigtail connectors, or even a pair of screw down tabs coming straight off the boards, eliminating the binding posts on the amp themselves as a performance bottleneck?  Also, if this is the intention, mounting tabs on the cube case similar to the flat one would maybe be a good idea as well?

Completely my own armchair opinion here, but although I admire and am intrigued by some of the out of the box thinking going on here (from expanded applications to performance improvements), I think you might be shooting yourself in the foot heading completely down this road form-factor wise right out of the gate. 

I don't know exactly who the target market for this amp is, so I won't presume too much, but going too far off the sociological norms of the target customer in how the product is presented is a quick and easy way to have to fight an uphill battle for mindshare, even before a customer takes a chance to see how good your product really is.  It would be a shame for someone to not even give these amps a chance just because when that person would think about just unplugging their current amps and put the M's directly in place of their current gear using their current stands and cables and so on, things didn't just look or hook up "right", if that makes any sense? 

Maybe starting with a more "traditional" form factor at first, then expanding to something more exotic would be the wiser course for a new product?  There are a lot of companies around here that do very well with lower cost prefab casework that looks very nice, and brings the overall production cost of low-volume manufacturing runs down considerably.  I know no one wants to be a "me too" company, but again, depends on the big picture goals.

Cheers!  . . . and I think it is very interesting that the same single amp scales up power-wise based on power supply alone.  One amp, with multiple power supply options basically making multiple amp models, is an interesting departure from the traditional amp marketplace.  Nice!

Jon,

Your post started a long discussion.  We will make a version with all connections on the back of the case.  This case will have some bulk to it, allowing existing heavy cabling to work.

We will also offer the type shown in the pictures.

Thanks so much for your thoughts, especially regarding mindshare.  Have a great weekend!

Best Regards,
Tommy O

mfsoa

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #46 on: 3 Mar 2013, 03:10 am »
Please note that I am a close personal friend of Tommy's and therefore disregard everything I'm about to say. :lol:  Seriously, take this with a grain of salt if you need to, I do not claim to be impartial here.

I had the pleasure of hearing the Maraschinos at his house a few weeks back. I could be the first audiophile older than the 8th grade that's heard them 8)

While I am not intimately familiar with his system I was very impressed with what I heard, especially the imaging which is one of the many stong points of the Cherry line of which I have owned several models of and continue to (ab)use in my system.

More than once my attention was grabbed by sounds emanating from far beyond the speakers (don't remember brand - good size MTM monitors).

I hear great potential in these guys and my uneducated guess is that the high modulation frequency (hope that's the correct term) has pushed this design even further from what is perceived as a Class D sonic signature. Man were the highs sweet. Both Tommy and I are drummers and while on the one hand that has made us both partially deaf (kidding) it makes us keenly aware of the sound of cymbals and triangles. I think it's Fagan's Bright Nightgown or something like that that has a triangle cut in for a few bars - Man, the distinctness of the strike and sustain separated in tonality from all the high frequency stuff in the mix, and seemingly physically separated from the speaker, well it was something.  And his room is not set up as well as a good dedicated room could be (sorry buddy).  The sound - actually the physical sensation - of different cymbal metals ringing in space - it was just so similar to what you feel (yes, literally feel) when you are near a cymbal...

It sure is fun to sit around with Mr T. and discuss the layout of the amp - where to put connectors / what is the typical buyer looking for / who's gonna like or dislike this or that feature / what friggin color should they be / what style case blah blah. And the bigger picture - where is the Digital Amp Company going and what does the future of recorded music hold, and how to make sure DAC is ready to meet the challenges ahead.

I can't wait to get this pair over to my place to give 'em a spin! Get your damn arm outa that sling already!!

Now say it three times - "This guy is Tommy's friend, I will not be swayed..."   :nono: :thumb:

-Mike

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #47 on: 3 Mar 2013, 03:41 am »
Tommy,

If my thoughts put at least one more pair of great amps in someone's home, then I say time well spent. :)

Once I finally get a pair of speakers finished/built that can perform to a level capable of making an honest run at hearing the results your work, I would be glad to check them out.  It will be a bit, though, as the piggy bank has to heal up a bit on my end first. ;)

Looking at the two cases you've got going now.  Without the binding posts, with the soft start/shutdown function, and an umbilical of some kind to get the power and input connectors some flexibility in placement, I very much see an opportunity to OEM these to companies building active speaker systems.  Heck, you could go low-tech on the casework but go crazy with the straight performance elements with them hidden completely inside a speaker box.  No worries about "show", just all "go"; let someone else make the package pretty.  8) 

As small as they are, a page out of Dave at P.I.'s book and cryo treating the whole unit and potting it (why not if there isn't anything user serviceable on the boards anyway?) are I think interesting options if they would see performance gains.  Also, regarding the small size, I don't see it being too hard to stack three (or four) channels worth of amplification into a single larger speaker if used internally; which could then be optimized individually per amp/channel to a specific, designed speaker load. . . External, user replaceable, user "upgradeable" power supplies add to the benefits as an OEM product. . .  :thumb:

Enjoy your weekend as well!

Jon

Jonathon Janusz

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #48 on: 5 Jul 2013, 11:51 pm »
Tommy, I saw you were online recently, so I thought I would bump this thread up to see if there were any updates to status on the new little amps?

Cheers!

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #49 on: 7 Jul 2013, 02:49 pm »
Tommy, I saw you were online recently, so I thought I would bump this thread up to see if there were any updates to status on the new little amps?

Cheers!

Jon,

We have been very busy finishing up the Maraschino.

There will be two versions: Tabletop and In-Line

The enclosure is taking a lot longer than we thought, so we're still looking at a month or so before the prototype cases are ready.

We are planning an early adopter special that will be sure to get us some serious attention.

Thanks for the bump, and hope you can be one of the first to check out our latest!

-Tommy O

BruceSB

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #50 on: 17 Jul 2013, 03:11 am »
I know that the next stage is coming.
I know that this is all prototype.
But can you give us some preliminary indications of what the cases might be like?
Maybe some approximate sizes & facilities.
I think we would understand if you did not want to but some of us here are really interested in all that you can give us!
Thanks.
Bruce

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #51 on: 17 Jul 2013, 01:34 pm »
I know that the next stage is coming.
I know that this is all prototype.
But can you give us some preliminary indications of what the cases might be like?
Maybe some approximate sizes & facilities.
I think we would understand if you did not want to but some of us here are really interested in all that you can give us!
Thanks.
Bruce

OK, Bruce.....  Here's a "sneak peek" of the tabletop version:





Any thoughts?  Thanks.

AmpDesigner333

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #52 on: 17 Jul 2013, 03:08 pm »

Big Red Machine

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #53 on: 17 Jul 2013, 03:12 pm »
I like it.  Can you use black countersunk screws on the top and a long umbilical so the power can be hidden and the amp can be parked right next to the speaker for "show".  If the umbilical cannot be long, then how about making it match the red case finish?

WAI (wild ass idea):  Too bad you couldn't use male speaker plugs and just plug the amp into the speaker back.  Works for most, but not all speakers who deviate from the standard banana plug spacing.  For those who don't need to show their amps, plugging in the amp would make them "powered" speakers.

mritschdorff

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #54 on: 17 Jul 2013, 03:18 pm »
Great to see you posting again! I missed your insight and industry knowledge. Looking forward to more postings from you.

Regards,

Marty


I like it.  Can you use black countersunk screws on the top and a long umbilical so the power can be hidden and the amp can be parked right next to the speaker for "show".  If the umbilical cannot be long, then how about making it match the red case finish?

WAI (wild ass idea):  Too bad you couldn't use male speaker plugs and just plug the amp into the speaker back.  Works for most, but not all speakers who deviate from the standard banana plug spacing.  For those who don't need to show their amps, plugging in the amp would make them "powered" speakers.

gregfisk

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #55 on: 17 Jul 2013, 07:26 pm »
That little guy looks really nice! I don't think the top screws do the rest of the design justice thou, even square drives would look better, and like Big Red said counter sunk would be much cleaner like the rest of the design.

srb

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #56 on: 17 Jul 2013, 07:35 pm »
I don't think the top screws do the rest of the design justice thou, even square drives would look better, and like Big Red said counter sunk would be much cleaner like the rest of the design.

That's the first thing that jumped out for me.  And you don't need toothed lockwashers unless it is going to be bolted to a offroading Jeep.

Steve

BruceSB

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #57 on: 17 Jul 2013, 08:26 pm »
Looks good.
I like the colour.
I wonder if there is a single box version?
Thanks for the information and the prompt reply.
Yes, there are some of us out there watching the progress with great interest.
By the way thanks for the review link.
Bruce

djbnh

Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #58 on: 18 Jul 2013, 10:28 am »
Bottom line here is that I'm a fan of longer interconnect option because it doesn't need to carry significant current.  It just makes more sense that way.  Plus sewer-pipe-sized speaker wire is difficult to handle and expensive.

Just starting to get through this thread, interesting reading. Re: longer ICs - this isn't optimal for persons like me who use a Warpspeed optocoupler as their preamp, just the opposite. I think the manufacturer's proposed set up will work for those with active preamps. YMMV

AmpDesigner333

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Re: Maraschino is HERE!
« Reply #59 on: 18 Jul 2013, 02:21 pm »
Looks good.
I like the colour.
I wonder if there is a single box version?
Thanks for the information and the prompt reply.
Yes, there are some of us out there watching the progress with great interest.
By the way thanks for the review link.
Bruce

Well, a single box version is planned, but this will likely be a 2014/2015 project!